UPSC GENERAL STUDIES SAMPLE PAPER 2008

1. Consider the following statements about India's livestock population?

(1) India owns the largest livestock population in the world.

(2) India accounts for nearly 57 percent of the world buffalo population and 16 percent of the cattle population.

(3) India is the largest producer of milk.

Which of the above given statement(s) is/are true?

(A) Only (1)

(B) Both (1) and (2)

(C) Only (3)

(D) All (1), (2) and (3)

2. World Tuberculosis Day is observed on which among the following dates?

(A) 22nd May

(B) 23rd June

(C) 24th March

(D) 3rd April

3. The per capita availability of pulses in India is approx.

(A) 13 kg per year

(B) 10.5 kg per year

(C) 18 kg per year

(D) 14 kg per year

4. Which among the following persons and posts they hold is NOT correctly matched?

(A) Rajiv Shukla; Treasurer of Board for Control of Cricket in India

(B) Asif Ismail; Training partner of Sania Mirza

(C) John Gloster; Physical Trainer of Indian Cricket Team

(D) V. Bhaskaran; Coach of Indian Hockey Team

5. Consider the following statements:-

(1) The central government signed two agreements to set up joint venture companies involving the public sector Airports Authority of India and the GMR and GVK groups for handling over the Delhi and Mumbai airports for modernisation.

6. The commerce ministry has appointed a one-member committee to finalise a viable package for plantation farmers. Who among the following persons was selected for the job?

(A) M S Swaminathan

(B) CVK Krishnamurthy

(C) N Rangachary

(D) Mr. Sompal

7. According to the WTO charter which among the following is not a benefit availed by is members?

(A) The member Governments are shielded from lobbying.

(B) Freer trade cuts the costs of living

(C) Trade Disputes are handled constructively

(D) Access to Foreign currency is made easier

8. Which among the following states is India's largest user or pesticide products?

(A) Andhra Pradesh

(B) Uttar Pradesh

(C) Karnataka

(D) Punjab

9. Which among the following is not a cause of decline in the number of natural pollinators worldwide?

(A) Increased international trade of food products has led to a rapid transfer of parasites and diseases of pollinator species around the world.

(B) In some areas development or agriculture has disrupted and broken up and traditional nectar corridors that are required to gain their energy requirements for the migration of the pollinators.

(C) The use of Genetically Modified seeds has reduced the chances of pollination via external bodies.

(D) There is growing number of cases where insecticides are being used during the blooming seasons of the plants, thus causing damage to pollinator species.

10. Which among the following products can be pasteurized?

1. Egg 2. Beer 3. Water 4. Milk

(A) Only 1, 2 and 3

(B) Only 2, 3 and 4

(C) Only 1, 2 and 4

(D) All 1, 2, 3 and 4

11. Which of the following is a breed of buffalo?

(A) Murrah

(B) Mecheri

(C) Gunjam

(D) Chokla

12. Which among the following scheme is not implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare?

(A) Vande Mantram Scheme

(B) Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Scheme

(C) Janani Suraksha Yojana

(D) Bal Vikas Pariyojana

13. Which among the following persons is the Director General of World Intellectual Property Organisation?

(A) Sultan Shah Amil

(B) Kamil Idris

(C) John Smith Openheimer

(D) Michel Kamdasus

14. According to the latest data which among the following nations has the maximum number of Pravasi Bhartiya (Migrated Indian Citizens) as their residents?

(A) USA

(B) UK

(C) South Africa

(D) Myanmar

15. Which among the following persons was the chairman of the advisory committee constituted to enable the government to formulate its view on restructuring of Oil public sector undertakings?

(A) S V Rangnathan

(B) S Vijayaraghavan

(C) V Krishnamurthy

(D) Rakesh Tuteja

16. Which of the following facts is not true about India's present electricity scenario?

(A) Around 74% of rural households were electrified in the country till March 2006.

(B) Out of this about 55.8% capacity is generated by the state sector.

(C) The contribution of thermal power is 66% of the total installed capacity.

(D) The total installed capacity of power generation in India is about 1.26 lakh MW.

17. Which among the following is not the responsibility of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission that was established in 1998?

(A)To improve the operations and management of the regional transmission systems

through Indian Electricity Grid Code (IEGC), and Availability Based Tariff (ABT).

(B) To Facilitate open access in interstate transmission.

(C) To dissolve the disputes between power generation and distribution authorities.

(D) Facilitate technological and institutional changes required for the development of competitive markets in bulk power and transmission services.

18. Vanya is a brand name/label for which among the following products?

(A) Honey

(B) Silk

(C) Sahtoosh

(D) Sandal

19. India's Integrated Interim missile-testing site Chandipur-On-Sea, from where Agni-Ill was tested, is situated in which among the following states?

(A) Orissa

(B) Maharashtra

(C) West Bengal

(D) Andhra Pradesh

20. Which among the following business barons was appointed as the Sheriff of Mumbai?

(A) Nusli Wadia

(B) Vijaypat Singhania

(C) Jerry Rao

(D) Ravi Dasani

21. Mr. Tulsi Tanti is chairman of which among the following firms?

(A) Suzlon Energy

(B) Crompton Greaves

(C) DLF

(D) Pollo Tyres

22. The first 20-20 International match was held between which among the following nations?

(A) Australia and England

(B) England and Sri Lanka

(C) Australia and New Zealand

(D) New Zealand and England

23. India hosted the 2006 ICCO global summit for the first time. Which among the following cities hosted it?

(A) Pune

(B) Hyderabad

(C) Mumbai

(D) New Delhi

24. Blaupunkt GmbH is the euro300 million mobile communications and car entertainment company from which among the following countries?

(A) The Netherlands

(B) Luxembourg

(C) Germany

(D) Norway

25. Global IT services giant Electronic Data Systems Corporation has acquired a significant stake in which among the following companies?

(A) MphasiS BFL

(B) Hexaware Technologies

(C) Polaris Software

(D) HCL Info

26. Which among the following Indian firm was ranked as India's Most Respected Multinational Business Conglomerate' by United States-India Business Council?

(A) Tata Group

(B) Reliance Industries Limited

(C) Hero Honda

(D) AV Birla Group

27. Which among the following business barons announced to donate about $37.4 billion to Bill and Melinda Gates foundation?

(A) Steve jobs

(B) Warren Buffet

(C) David Trump

(D) Ingvar Kamprad

28. Which among the following is India's most profitable company?

(A) Reliance Industries Limited

(B) Indian Tobacco Company

(C) ONGC

(D) NTPC

29. Which among the following Indian companies is providing a free data management solution, as well as, IT services to 'Project Hope' in China?

(A) Living Digital

(B) Satyam Computers

(C) L&T Info

(D) TCS

30. ONGC Mittal Energy Ltd has finalised the investment proposals for setting up a 15 million tonne per annum export-oriented refinery, a 2,000 MW power plant and railway lines in which among the following African countries? (A) Zambia (B) Ghana (C) Angola (D) Nigeria